Dominic Cole's IELTS Blog

If you read enough IELTS books (or take the exam too often!), you’ll soon realise that there are very definite IELTS topics. There is a good reason for this: IELTS is a very international exam and the topics have to be suitable for all countries and all cultures. Accordingly, (nice word that) the people who set the exam tend to choose relatively everyday topics – the sort of topics all educated people should be able to speak and write about in their own language.

Academic IELTS topics

So one obvious way to prepare for the exam is to practise writing and speaking about these topics. They are:

• gender
• sport and pastimes
• employment
• the media
• travel and transport
• education
• business and finance
• politics
• globalisation
• the environment
• healthcare
• language and culture
• law and order

Further down this page you will find some specimen essay questions I have adapted from sources on the internet on these topics. However, I suggest you read on a little first.

Questions not just topics

While the topics are predictable enough, the actual questions are invariably extremely precise. Again, there is also a good reason for this: the examiners do not want you to learn an essay, they want to test your English and see if you can answer a precise question, rather than produce a general answer to a general topic. I do suggest you take a look at my posts on answering the question.

Question formats

I have carefully formatted all these into exam format – something that many sites and books fail to do. Rather than post every possible question, I have selected those that fit the IELTS format most closely. This matters a great deal as IELTS essay questions tend to have a distinct format. Points for you to note about this format are:

1. most questions have a precise task and a topic
2. some questions are “double” question with 2 separate questions to answer
3. the task words vary “Discuss” “Do you agree or disagree” “To what extent do you agree or diagree” etc

Sample questions

Below is a list of sample IELTS essay questions taken from various sources and broken down into categories. Note that in each case you need to add these words

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge and experience

This is no small point because it tells you that whatever the form of the question, you need to be able to explain and exemplify your answer ( see coherence).

Gender

Some people believe in the traditional idea that the woman’s place is in the home, while others say that idea is outdated and that women should play an increasingly important role in the workplace of the future. What is your opinion?

Fatherhood ought to be emphasized as much as motherhood. The idea that women are solely responsible for deciding whether or not to have babies leads on to the idea that they are also responsible for bringing the children up. To what extent do you agree or disagree ? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

The position of women in society has changed markedly in the last twenty years. Many of the problems young people now experience, such as juvenile delinquency, arise from the fact that many married women now work and not at home to care for their children. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

Sport and pastimes

It is commonly thought that it is healthy for adults to maintain an outside interest in order to relax or stay fit. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of 3 of the following sports and pastimes:

*tennis *walking *visiting museums *reading *joining a club *going to a gym

Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotion in a safe way. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 3)

In many countries people working in sport and entertainment earn much more money than professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers. Why do you think this happens in some societies and do you consider it is good or bad? (China writing)

Employment

Some people argue that the government should give every unemployed person a mobile phone and should make sure they have access to the Internet. They believe this is the best way of using public money to reduce the problem of unemployment. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Focus on IELTS)

In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning and taking responsibilities. Discuss. (Cambridge IELTS 3)

The idea of having a single career is becoming an old fashioned one. The new fashion will be to have several careers or ways of earning money and further education will be something that continues throughout life. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing developed nations today. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of reducing the working week to thirty five hours? (see my sample essay)

Some employers reward members of staff for their exceptional contribution to the company by giving them extra money. This practice can act as an incentive for some but may also have a negative impact on others. To what extent is this style of management effective? Are there better ways of encouraging employees to work hard?(IELTS Practice Plus)

Media

News editors decide what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news? Would it be better if more good news was reported? Discuss. (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Some people believe that the media, such as the press, TV and Internet should be more strictly controlled. Others feel that controls should be loosened to give people freer access to information.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Newspapers and books are outdated. Why do some people believe this? What is your opinion?

Travel and transport

It is said that travel broadens the mind. What can we learn by travelling to other countries? Should we first explore our own countries? Discuss.

In many countries tourism is a major part of the economy, but it also causes environmental damage and ruins the places it exploits. It is argued that tourists should pay an additional tax to compensate for this damage. Do you agree?

In the modern world car ownership is regarded as a right. However, some argue that governments should try to reduce the number of cars on the road by improving public transport, as the growing number of cars on the road causes traffic congestion and pollution. Discuss

Young drivers are careless and overconfident, and too many are killed in accidents. To eliminate this problem, we could teach children the skills of safe driving while they are at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (IELTS Practice tests with answers)

Business and finance

It some countries people pay different rates of tax depending on their salary, in other countries everyone pays the same rate. Which do you believe is the best system?

Many people judge success solely by money and material possessions. However, success can be achieved or measured in other ways. Discuss. (IELTS Foundation)

Education

Subjects such as Art, Sport and Music are being dropped from the school curriculum for subjects such as Information Technology. Many people children suffer as a result of these changes. To what extent would you support or reject the idea of moving these subjects from school curriculum? (IELTS Practice tests with answers) (see my sample essay )

Some people argue that universities should provide students with more practical training for their future career. Should university education be more vocational or academic. Discuss

In many countries schools have severe problems with student behavior. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest? (Cambridge IELTS 4)

Many universities charge higher fees for foreign students. Why do they do this? Do you believe that it is fair?

Education is the single most important factor in the development of a developing country. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Passport to IELTS)

Politics

A government has various duties to its citizens, but limited resources. Should defence spending take up a significant proportion of the national budget? Discuss.

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals tackle these problems. (IELTS Foundation)

Future plans which is to design prisons for learning and working, with bigger cells containing computers that will enable study and communication, have been criticized for trying to turn prisons into “holiday camps” and “wasting taxpayers’ money”. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (IELTS Foundation)

The environment

In many countries there is a shortage of housing due to a growing population. Some people argue that new towns should be built in the countryside, others argue for the regeneration of cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the building new towns in the countryside?

The best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing)

The world is consuming natural resources faster than they can be renewed. Therefore, it is important that products are made to last. Governments should discourage people from constantly buying more up to date or fashionable products. To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Model tests for the IELTS)

Health care

“Prevention is better than cure”. Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

Most developed countries spend a large proportion of their heath budgets on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (IELTS on Track)

The quality of health care a person receives should not depend on the size of their bank balance. The government is responsible for providing a high level of heath care for all its citizens. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Reading and Writing module)

Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine. However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (IELTS Foundation)

Language and culture

Many old buildings are protected by law because they are part of nation’s history. However, some people think old buildings should be knocked down to make way for new ones because people need houses and offices. How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress? (see my sample essay)

Should museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue, and give your opinion. (see my sample essay)

The increasing role of English in the world today means that the learning of other languages is being neglected. This will have serious results for the continued use of these languages, and of their cultures. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Essay Writing)

Young people are said to have lost many of the traditional values of the older generation. This does not matter, because the old values have no relevance in the modern world. We need to develop a whole new set of values. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (Essay Writing)

Every country needs to remember its past. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (IELTS Practice tests with answers)

Crime and law

Without capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and crimes of violent increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 2)

Tobacco and alcohol are drugs that cause addition and health problems. Should they be made illegal? Or should all drugs be legalized? (Essay Writing)

Crime is nearly always related to the environment in which it occurs. For this reason, international laws and international law courts are unrealistic and will not succeed in reducing crime levels in different countries. Discuss. (Insight into IELTS)

The only way to cut the crime rate is build more prisons and make prison sentences longer. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Science and technology

Television has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies. To what extent would you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural development of your society? (see my sample essay)

When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 3)

Technology can bring many benefits, but it can also cause social and environmental problems. In relation to new technology, the primary duty of governments should be to focus on potential problems, rather than benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? (Model tests for the IELTS)

“Telecommuting” refers to workers doing their jobs from home for part of each week and communicating with their office using computer technology. Telecommuting is growing in many countries and is expected to be common for most office workers in the coming decades. How do you think society will be affected by the growth of telecommuting? (IELTS to Success)

In the future, we will have more and more leisure time as machines replace many of the tasks we do at home and work. Discuss the benefits this will bring and also the problem it will cause. (Academic writing practice)

We live today in an electronic information age. It is easier to be connected by technology yet many people seem no closer to feeling happy in their lives. In what extent do you agree or disagree. (IELTS on Track)

Advances in science and technology and other areas of society in the last 100 years have transformed the way we live as well as postponing the day we die. There is no better time to be alive than now. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? (Focus on IELTS)

Space exploration requires vast sums of money. Is the amount of money spent on space research justifiable? Could the money be better spent? (see my sample essay)

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. (see my sample essay with commentary)

Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by bringing people together. To what extent do you agree that the internet is making it easier for people to communicate with one another? (see my sample essay)

Children and the family

People are now living longer than ever before and many old people are unable to look after themselves. Some people believe that it is the responsibility of families to look after the elderly, while others say governments should provide retirement homes for them where they can be looked after properly. Discuss.

Modern lifestyles mean that many parents have little time for their children. Many children do not get as much attention from their parents as children did in the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing) See my sample essay for useful vocabulary.

Arts, music and entertainmentd

There are many different types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is heard everywhere nowadays? Discuss. (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their own ideas (in words, pictures, music or film) in whichever way they wish. There should be no government restrictions on what they do. To what extent do you agree or disagree?(Cambridge IELTS 4)

Some people say the government should not put money in the arts, such as music, opera and paintings, but instead should spend money on construction of public facilities. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing)

The government should control the amount of violence in films and on television in order to decrease the violent crimes in society. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (China writing)

Do young people today make good use of their leisure time? Or do they spend too much time watching television and playing video games, instead of taking part in more productive activities? Discuss. (Focus on IELTS)

Globalisation

Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it the responsibilities of the governments of poorer nations to look after their citizens themselves? (Cambridge IELTS 1)

Improvement in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the government of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (Cambridge IELTS 3)

More and more qualified people are moving from poor to rich countries to fill vacancies in specialist areas like engineering, computing and medicine. Some people believe that by encouraging the movement of such people, rich countries are stealing from poor countries. Others feel that this is only part of the natural movement of workers around the world. Give your opinion. (Academic writing practice)

As most foreign aid often benefits the donor more than the receiver, developing countries should refuse to repay their debts. In what extent do you agree or disagree? (Reading and Writing module)

Most countries spend a large amount of money in weapons to defend themselves though they are not at war. They should spend money to help the citizens in poor and disadvantaged countries. Discuss. (China writing)

One of the major problems facing the world today is the growing number of refugees. The developed nations in the world should tackle this problem by taking in more refugees. To what extent do you agree with this opinion? (see my sample essay)

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